Izuju

I don’t think this style of sushi is for me. The kelp wrapped sushi was too seafood-​y tasting. It was interesting to try but I think once is good enough. We ordered 2 dishes and a soup. Nothing stood out. It was a pricy meal but wanted to check it out since others had rated it so high.

We came across this place while researching sushi places near Gion and this restaurant is conveniently located near the Gion station and Yasaka Shrine. It’s a small restaurant but also has take-​to-​go counter. I ordered Chimashi Sushi which came in a small amount. Not enough for lunch but very delicious. It is different from the common sushi you find everywhere. A set costs us around 1500 yen per person.

While researching Kyoto, we came across Izuju (祇園いづ重 京都寿司) as a highly recommened option for sabazushi. Saba is mackerel and zushi is, well, sushi. However, sabazushi is slightly pickled in salt and sushi vinegar. Izuju specializes in sabazushi, a Kyoto speciality, and during their near 100 years of operation, they have become famous in Kyoto as one of the best places to eat it. The restaurant is easily located directly across the street from the bright orange Yasaka Shrine on Shijo Street.
We stopped by Izuju late in the afternoon one day after exploring southern Kyoto. We had dinner reservations later in the night so Izuju would be a light snack (or first dinner). Arriving around 4pm, there were a few seats available.
I began with a small bottle of cold sake and Adam took a large Sapporo to drink.
We decided to order a combo that came with sabazushi, inari (sushi rice wrapped in aburaage, or deep fried tofu skin), hakozushi (box sushi) and makizushi. The hakozushi usually comes with grilled pike conger (a type of eel) or mackerel but really depends on the season. Due to it being summer, the hakozushi came with the pike conger on top. The makizushi consisted of shiitake mushrooms, kanpyo (gourd), mitsuba (Japanese wild parsley) and omelet and was reminiscent of the Korean kimbap, as a point of reference.
The standout was definitely the sabazushi. It was unlike any sushi that either of us had tasted in the past. The savory pickled mackerel on top of the vinegary rice wrapped in a piece of slippery kelp-​all of the textures and flavors really worked well together. We enjoyed how delicate the texture of the fish, which despite being pickled, maintained the subtle flavor of the mackerel. This combined with the vinegary rice made for a perfect bite! We could have ordered a full plate…
The makizushi was a nice change of pace from the other items in the combo but wasn’t anything too special. We agreed it was definitely our least favorite of the four.
The hakozushi was okay, but after the more flavorful sabazushi, it fell a bit flat. The pike conger was cooked well and the rice was again quite good but we both preferred the sabazushi. The inari was a definite close second behind the sabazushi. The sweet tofu skin gave a balance to the vinegary rice and was different from any inari we’ve ever had in the states. We both preferred this version to ones we had eaten in the past due to how delicate the tofu skin was.
Izuju is a place we would both recommend you not to miss while in Kyoto. Their version of sabazushi is fantastic and allows you the opportunity to taste a bit of authentic Kyoto cuisine. It really is something very unique that we both were glad we had the chance to have while in Kyoto. While some items on the menu were misses, the inari was very good as well and something that definitely is worth the trip. Plus, the size of the pieces are much larger than what most people would imagine sushi to be so a few pieces are more than filling. We would highly recommend Izuju as a great place for a quick snack, especially due to its proximity to the Yasaka Shrine!

Let’s just say that Kyoto style sushi isn’t for everyone. The menu isn’t that big so I would start by ordering something small first and see if you like it.
I ordered the Saba sushi and Maki sushi. The Saba has kelp wrapped around that you have to peel off… It was really goopy and left a weird aftertaste.
This wasn’t for me personally… I found there to be much better sushi in Kyoto.

For some reason we had a really hard time finding this place — possibly due to the change in décor in the front so it didn’t match any photos, and also possibly because we were delirious from the heat — but by the time we found it we had missed the lunch rush and only had to wait 15 minutes to eat.
This sushi is very different — pretty much all cured fish, and mostly shaped in squares. We had one of the set lunches so we could get a good sampling. The eel and tamale pieces were so delicious. We had some nice sake to wash it down.
If you are a sushi fan this place is worth checking out to get a taste of Kyoto style sushi.

Did you know sushi can come in a box form? I didn’t until I went to Izuju.
Experience the real Kyoto sushi meal here at this historic sushi restaurant in Gion! Serving only the primitive types of sushi, Izuju is a culinary destination that all sushi fans should not miss.
You won’t find the familiar rolls or even nigiri on Izuju’s meal. Instead, even the English menu is filled with strange types of sushi that you may never seen before including the box-​like hako sushi and the saba sushi that looked like a maki sushi. For the best value (and if you cannot decide how to begin to choose), choose the sushi combo that fits your party size to experience the super traditional sushi.
Hako and saba sushi are made by compressing sushi rice with materials either in a box or a tube respectively. The result is a delicious sushi rice box/​ball/​circle that is infused with the taste of seafood! I don’t think sushi can get any more sushi than this, and it would be a shame to miss out these types of sushi that you cannot get easily elsewhere!
Expect to pay around 1000 yen per person, although the cost will be significantly reduced if you order the combo instead of a la carte. Izuju is located across Yasaka Shrine’s main gate on its left and near the bus stop.

A shop with to-​go boxes, a great atmosphere, and in the perfect location.
It’s right on the corner of a wide road, near many tourist attractions, so it shouldn’t be too difficult to find.
It really is a great shop, especially during a chilly day! They have table warmers and hot tea when you sit down.
And of course the most important piece, the special Kyoto style sushi. I mostly went here to try the box sushi, but also because I heard of how great it is! I didn’t find the prices too bad, for the amount you get, and compared to others that I saw.
Be adventurous!

Disclaimer: I never have Kyoto style Sushi till my trip to Kyoto.
My Day at Kyoto trip includes eating authentic Kyoto style sushi at Izuju. Since I only here for a day, I might as well go for the ONE. As Izuju has been in business for over 100 years sticking to the tradition menu.
Located right across from Yasaka Shrine in the Gion District. As a tourist, you would ended up walking by this little sushi place and did not even realize it exist.
Arriving on around 12 pm ish, there was only 2 people in line. So we were offered the menu (photos with price!) and we placed our order before we were seated in this small restaurant.
We ordered the sampling set B (3132 Yen) that includes Sabazushi, Hakozushi and Makizushi.
Sabazushi is something that you can only eat in Kyoto as it is cured pickled Mackerel wrapped in Kombu (Kale). You supposed to unwrapped that and just eat the filling. Since it is cured fish, you can get one to go.
I really want to try Inarizushi which Owner Chef Kitamura-​san still prepared with woodfire hearth to prepare or the mushizushi which is available during winter. It was a hot hot September afternoon so none of those were available.
I definitely recommend as least try Sabazushi once and there is no better place than Izuju in Kyoto for the real thing!

Authentic Kyoto sushi makes for the quintessential Gion experience. Also not that expensive (I was VERY full after spending 2000yen. However, the taste might not agree with everyone, particularly those with western expectations. Definitely recommend for the adventurous.

A must-​visit whenever I am in Kyoto. Delicious Kyoto-​style sushi. We shared a large platter for two (there are several options) and added futomaki and a seasonal sushi served with sliced yuzu.

I found this hole in the wall place through a guidebook recommendation, apparently this is the oldest and most respected joint serving kyoto/​Kansai style sushi in Gion. If you are a foreign visitor coming here for the typical sushi with raw fish you will be disappointed, this place serves only specialty cut sushi, most of the sushi are served cooked or marinated. It is quite pricey compared to other places so I would recommend it for the sushi connoisseur who wants to try something different. The sushi are huge and doesn’t look very appealing to eat, but I find the mackerel sushi to be quite delicious. I also recommend ordering the fish soup to wash it all down.